FAQ

1. What is Parktoberfest?
   
   Parktoberfest is an annual event sponsored by local businesses and is designed to help raise funds for Whittier Mill Park, a 22-acre city park that sits in the middle of historic Whittier Mill Village.
   
   The sixth annual Parktoberfest is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 8, from 3 p.m. until 10 p.m., rain or shine.
2. Where is it?
   
   As you might suspect, Parktoberfest is inside Whittier Mill Village Park, which fronts Wales Avenue inside Whittier Mill Village neighborhood. Get directions
3. Where should I park?
   
   There is street parking around the park itself and throughout the neighborhood. Be aware that blocking driveways is illegal and neighbors may be forced to have your car towed at the driver’s expense. There is also limited parking in the lot of the Chattahoochee Baptist Church within the neighborhood, less than a quarter mile from the park. We are grateful to the church, which has a long and neighborly history with Whittier Mill Village and ask that you be respectful of their property if you choose to park here.
4. What’s the cost?
   
   Admission to the event is a $5 donation to the park, and a $20 donation covers entry, a commemorative cup and free local craft beer. We also offer a Park Protector package for $100 that includes entry, commemorative cups and beer for two adults, plus two official Parktoberfest event T-shirts. Children under 12 are admitted free.

   Get tickets

5. Is this tax deductible?
   
   Yes! The entrance fee to Parktoberfest (as well as any donation to the park) is considered a donation to The Whittier Mill Village Association, which is a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization.
6. May I bring my dog to Parktoberfest?
   
   Sadly, no. Fido needs to sit this one out. Atlanta’s City Park Ordinances prohibit “all pets, including dogs, cats, snakes, birds, pigs, etc. – leash or no leash – during all festivals.”
7. Why do you need to raise money for a city park? Don’t city taxes cover anything that needs to be done?
   
   The short answer is no. The city provides basic maintenance and bare essentials, but the balance is raised with neighborhood-sponsored events and grants through private foundations.
8. What are some examples of projects Parktoberfest has paid for in the past?
   
   As the largest annual fundraiser dedicated to the park, Parktoberfest proceeds have helped pay for a number of park projects, including restoration of the old Carpenters’ Shop and the main tower. Additionally, Parktoberfest has helped pay for landscaping and general maintenance.
9. What’s the relationship between the park and the city of Atlanta?
   
   Whittier Mill Park has been a city park since 1998. It was officially dedicated as such in a 2003 ceremony with city officials. The Whittier Mill Village neighborhood and its residents have a strong history of working together with the city on behalf of the park. This relationship began in earnest in 1994 when residents started working to turn the then-eyesore area into a green space that could be enjoyed by many.
10. Who maintains the park?
    
    The residents of WMV maintain the park on behalf of and in conjunction with the city of Atlanta Parks Department. Through regular clean-up days and donations, the park is maintained by the Whittier Mill Village neighborhood. This “maintenance” includes everything from mulching, removing garbage, planting trees and general landscaping, to constructing the playground and installing park benches and picnic tables. Additionally, funds and volunteer efforts have helped renovate and historically preserve structures like the carpenters’ shed and the tower, which are the remains of the old Whittier Mill.
11. What’s the history of the park?
    
    The surrounding village and the park’s history go hand-in-hand, dating back to 1895 when the neighborhood sprang up to house Whittier Textile Mill workers after the Lowell, Mass.-based Whittier Cotton Mills expanded to the South. Workers could rent the neighborhood’s homes for about a dollar a week. When the mill expanded in 1925, more homes were built.
    
    When the mill closed in 1971, the village began a slow-but-steady slide into neglect. The vacant mill became a target for arsonists and the land became an eyesore. At one time, the possibility of turning what is now the park area into a landfill was discussed, but outcry from local residents halted those plans. Most of the mill's remains were demolished in 1988, leaving the skeletal ruins of the carpenters’ shed and the original mill tower, which housed offices, including the mill’s chemist, and a water tank for fire protection.
    
    In 1994, a few dedicated Whittier Mill Village residents began a concerted effort to turn the area, which had become an overgrown eyesore, into a green space. To help facilitate that, the Trust for Public Land (a national, nonprofit, land conservation organization) purchased the property and turned it over to the city as a park.
    
    More information
12. I can’t come but would like to make a donation to the park. How do I do so?
    
    It’s easy and tax deductible! You may write a check to Whittier Mill Village Park Fund and mail to Whittier Mill Village Treasurer, c/o Melissa Moore, 2090 Butler Way NW, Atlanta, GA 30318.